Litter-free highways? Plan underway to hire homeless workers

Share this story

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Residents who stay at the Bakersfield Homeless Center might be the ones who you could see cleaning up the freeways in and around Bakersfield if a proposed plan between Caltrans and the city of Bakersfield is approved.

"We've been looking at this problem ourselves for a long time and frustrated just like the normal citizen is," said Sal Moretti, supervisor with the city's Solid Waste Division.

Caltrans is making $250,000 available to the city of Bakersfield for two years to coordinate freeway clean-ups. The city in turn would contract with the Bakersfield Homeless Center to hire residents at minimum wage to clean up the freeways.